Catharsis
by Minkychan
Summary: What if Joren hadn't had Sir Paxton as a Knight Master? What if, instead, he'd had a Knight MISTRESS? (What coppery haired, purple eyed female knight would be up to the task, I wonder ^,~)
1. The Proclamation

"You can't be serious," Joren of Stone Mountain's cultured, crisp voice rang   
throughout the mess hall. His delicate,  
full lips were twisted into a vicious scowl. His usually rosy cheeks were a   
darker hue of red and his sky blue eyes, set among long fair  
lashes were flashing deep resentment. He ran his fingers through his long,   
shoulder length(so blonde it was nearly white)  
hair.  
  
The mess hall was empty but for the fourth year page(soon to be first year   
squire) and the Training Master, Lord  
Wyldon. It was late at night, a bell or two away from the page's scheduled   
bedtimes. The sun had already set, and the huge  
hall was lit by torches. Lord Wyldon sat in his regular seat, at the head   
of the teacher's table. Joren stood before  
him.  
  
Lord Wyldon's dark eyes, hard as flint, narrowed, "Page Joren," his loud,   
authorative voice boomed,"While I  
understand your distress, it will do you good to remember your manners. A   
proper knight is always courteous."  
  
Most pages with Joren's background would have blown their fuse. For all   
his authority and the intimidating posture  
Lord Wyldon held, any fear a page had for him would most definitely be   
drowned out by the strong, prejudiced beliefs which  
had been hammered into the heads of Stone Mountain clan's youth. The   
conservative noble family took great care to avoid producing  
any black sheep.  
  
Joren of Stone Mountain, however, wasn't most pages. Despite his treatment   
of Kelady of Mindelean, and despite the  
extremes he went to try and get rid of that emotionless lump, he was a   
well-behaved page. He was high skilled in armed and  
unarmed combat. Although he was a bit heavy-handed with his horse, it was   
nothing that couldn't be cured with a few years  
of experience. His combat skills and high grades where school work was   
concerned made him Wyldon's prize student. He was  
truly the Golden Boy of Tortal's pages.  
  
Joren bowed low to the training master, his eyes lowered,"Pardon me, my   
lord."  
  
Lord Wyldon nodded,"Now, as for the matter at hand, I'm afraid there's   
nothing we can do."  
  
The Page stared at his feet sullenly. His hand was clenched in a fist, held   
so tightly his short, neatly trimmed  
nails pierced the skin,"I've never heard of something like this happening   
before, though, my lord."  
  
Lord of Wyldon sighed, and ran his finger along the scar that ran from his   
right eye into his short, brown hair.  
It was a habit he displayed when he was especially distressed. In all his   
years he'd never encountered something such as  
this. Despite his balding crown, he wasn't as old as many pages perceived   
him to be. He still had, however, been around  
long enough to rightfully assume he had seen everything.  
  
"Neither have I," Wyldon confessed to the trembling 14 year old. He looked   
over Joren again, and felt anger swell in  
his chest once more. It was such a waste. This boy, whom he had such high   
hopes for, had such talent! He was truly expected  
to become the greatest of them all. But, oh no, not if the king had anything   
to say about it...  
  
"Are you sure, sir," Joren questioned, his voice still respectful, a harsh   
contrast to the shaken expression that  
marred his beautiful face,"that this isn't just a simple misunderstanding?"  
  
"Here, see for yourself."the training master said. He handed the boy a   
scroll with the royal seal and signature  
on the bottom of it.  
  
(the scroll)  
  
"I, King Jonothan IV, proclaim that Joren of Stone Mountain will not have   
the choice of whom his appointed Knight  
Master will be.  
His skill and capabilities have been brought to my attention. After talking   
to my council, it has been decided that we can't risk him being nurtured by   
an unfit knight master who may or may not risk the  
valuable asset he will most likely be to the crown one day.  
  
I have, therefore, chosen a suitable mentor for Joren of Stone Mountain.  
  
This being said, I, King Jonothan IV, also proclaim that the Lady Knight,   
Alanna of Treboun and Pirate's Swoop, will act as  
Joren of Stone Mountain's Knight Mistress."  
  
(end of scroll)  
  
Joren's throat tightened. So it was true. He, a respectable person of   
noble blood from one of the realm's finest  
families, would act as squire to that wench, the Lady Knight Alanna. His   
eyes welled up with tears, but he refused to let them spill.  
He wouldn't do something as dishonorable as crying, especially not in front   
of the one man he almost respected as much as his own  
father!  
  
Wyldon's frown deepened, he'd better dismiss the lad and let him save   
face,"You are dismissed. Good  
luck on your exams tomorrow."  
  
Joren bowed gracefully and left the room.  
  
------------  
  
Joren stormed through the halls, his mood apparent.  
  
It's a good thing no other pages or servants were about, or surely they   
would have felt the wrath of the boy's anger.  
  
The boy grabbed a glass vase of flowers sitting on a nearby window ledge   
and hurled it to the wall. The loud crash  
of the glass breaking made him flinch slightly, but did nothing to soothe   
the storm of emotions brewing within him. His  
knees buckled and he sank to the ground. He leaned his head back against   
the wall, his breath ragged.  
  
He closed his eyes, fighting to gain control of his emotions.  
  
He'd be disowned. Even worse, he'd dishonor his family's good name.  
  
His fist clenched once more and he bit his lip. Damn that wench! Damn the   
King! How dare they! How dare they make  
such a mockery of him! How dare they make his years of hard work vanish   
with a mere letter! Did they think it was easy to  
get as high in the ranks as he did!? Did they know they know of the endless   
bells he devoted to studying and combat training  
in the hopes that he could be the finest knight in Tortal, and bring honor   
to his family's name!?  
  
Deep breaths filled the long hallway he currently occupied. His shoulder's   
relaxed, and his eye's hardened.  
  
This was the Lady Knight's fault. She wanted the lump to succeed. She'd   
probably heard of Joren  
and was afraid that his greatness would overshadow Mindelan's, which no   
doubt would happen. He'd show her, though. He'd become  
a great knight, despite what he was faced with. He was part of the Stone   
Mountain clan, after all!  
  
He glanced at his face in a mirror pinned up on the wall opposite to him.   
All traces of distress we're gone,  
his facial expression had gone from near tears to a cool, determined look,   
barely a trace that he had almost cried.  
  
Him, cry? Right. He hadn't cried since he was 8. His father had told him   
it was a disgrace for a man to cry.  
  
He would make his family proud, despite this unforseen hardship. Despite   
the shunning he was sure to get for the  
first few years, he'd make his father proud. He'd make his entire family   
proud!  
  
He smiled into the mirror.  
  
Keladry of Mindealean, if she had been there, could easily have seen that   
the smile didn't reach his eyes.  
  
On the other hand, what else was new?  
  
------------  
  
The woman in the shadows smiled bemusedly. Her eyes, an odd purple shade,   
stared after the youngster in wonder. Her  
copper hair spilled down her back to her hips. Alanna giggled, a sound   
that, even after all these years, surprised her  
slightly.  
  
So, this was Joren of Stone mountain.  
  
The emotion, the passion he'd just displayed in his supposed solitude had   
been...astounding.  
  
She had originally shown up in Corus to scream her head off at Jonothan and   
force him to cancel his proclamation.  
  
Seeing the boy, though, had changed things. It was him, she was sure. No   
other boy could be that beautiful, if the  
rumors she had heard were correct. If his skills weren't just   
rumors....That, mixed with the passion she'd  
seen in his eyes those few minutes before they blanked out.... He could   
become a great knight.  
  
He just had a few kinks that needed to be worked out, that's all. 


	2. Contemplation

Well, here's the second chapter.....Thanks to everyone for the nice, positive reviews! ^,^!!  
  
I'm sorry it took so long for me to get this out, I'll try to get it done quicker, really^^  
  
-------  
Keladry of Mindelan was a far cry from an ideal lady.  
  
She had a fine nose, for it was small, delicate and dusted with freckles.  
  
Many people would have described it as cute.  
  
The girl's eyes were a hazel colour and framed in long lashes. Her dreamer's gaze was a strange, yet not exactly unpleasant,   
contrast to the spark glittering behind it.   
  
Alanna's eyebrow raised in approval as the older boy, Nealan of Queenscove she believed, hit the ground with a thud.  
  
Hakuin's laughter filled the yard as his mocking mouth stretched into a sickeningly cheerful smile, "See what happens when you  
don't pay attention, Page?"  
Alanna bit back a giggle at Neal's retort, which certainly shouldn't have been heard by a girl Kel's age. Oh well, what can  
you do?  
  
Alanna's eyes sparkled with mirth and pride as she watched Keladry continue her lessons. The girl may not  
be as skilled as Liam had been, but she certainly knew what she was doing. It was such a tragedy...a shame that she herself  
could not take the girl as her own squire!  
  
It's true, the young Joren of Stone Mountain had caught her interest in the few minutes she'd seen him...and she was never one to turn down a challenge.  
However, Alanna had been dreaming to take Keladry as a Squire for a long time, ever since the girl had applied to be a Page.   
  
The spirited red-head should not have been where she was. It was forbidden for her to talk too or see the girl page at any time  
what so ever. But, when one happens to be sulking in a tree, and the yamani training masters had decided that the first and second years pages'  
lessons would be better off being held in the area under that same tree, who was she to draw attention to herself?   
  
Alanna shook her head at those below her who paid no heed to her, You'd think they'd have noticed her by now. Time passed quickly and eventually  
the fighting warriors-in-training were ready to retire from their hand-to-hand combat lessons for the day. The field was soon empty of people, page or  
teacher.   
  
Except for Hakuin of Seastone.  
  
He was leisurely leaned up against the tree Alanna had placed herself in. A smile played upon her lips, and she jumped down, for the drop wasn't high,  
and attacked. Punches were thrown, blocked and received. As expected, Alanna ended up on her back, Hakuin's plump lips grinning down at her.  
  
For all his youthfulness, this man had obviously earned his title as The shang Horse.  
  
"Good Day Lioness," he said. His height was above average, for an islander. His eyes were almond shaped and filled with laughter. He was one   
of the most cheerful people Alanna had ever met, despite his Yamani origins.   
  
"Good Day, Hakuin," Alanna replied, accepting his helping hand up. They had met previously, not too long before Keladry had come to the palace.  
Although they weren't close and probably never would be, but he admired her spirit...and she was curious as to why his mocking glances never seemed  
insulting.  
  
"So, do her skills impress you?" Hakuin inquired, running a hand through his sweat soaked hair. The fight with Alanna hadn't been too taxing, but he'd  
been in an "active" mood today AKA Some pages were getting a bit cocky about their skills in hand-to-hand combat. Hakuin, knowing this attitude could very  
well get them killed one day, decided to teach some of them a lesson in humility.   
  
"Yes." Alanna opted for honesty.   
  
"Do you have permission to be here?" The Shang Horse was aware of the rules concerning Alanna and Keladry, as was the rest of the palace.  
  
"Um..." Scarlet stained Alanna's cheeks...hmm...maybe honesty wasn't the best option at this point ...  
  
Someone cleared their throat. It wasn't Hakuin. It certainly wasn't Alanna, who had been stuttering.....  
  
Jon wondered if Alanna knew how much trouble she might be in.  
  
"Hello Jon! Long time no see!" Alanna smiled brightly. Too brightly.  
  
His eyes, the deepest of blues, narrowed. Oh, yeah. She knew.  
--------  
  
Jon frowned.  
  
Thayet bit her lip to keep from smiling, doing her best to look stern. She, of course, failed miserably.  
  
Raoul belched. Loudly. This, of course, set Buri into a fit of laughter.  
  
Jonothan glared at them all and wiped the whipped cream from his face.  
  
To make a long, boring story short, Jon had immediately informed Wyldon of Alanna and Keladry's almost encounter. Jonothan would have preferred to just   
pretend it didn't happen, but Wyldon of Cavall had the uncanny habit of always finding everything out. Everything. It would work to the king's advantage to  
have this man on his side.   
  
Wyldon had disapproved and had voiced his opinion in that respectable, court speech that left one feeling rather insulted despite the extremely "respectful" words they had just received. He had, however, agreed that Alanna could hardly be to blame for the near-meeting between her and the girl page. Despite the sharpness of his words, he'd been as mellow as the training master could ever be. Jonothan hadn't been surprised. He'd been expecting the training master to try and convince him to release Joren from his decree. After hearing the training master out, he gently turned the man down. Wyldon's eyes turned to stone, and he nodded stoically and took his leave.  
  
Wyldon of Cavall was, basically, a good man. Too bad he scared the heck out of half the people he met with is....overpowering personality. Jonothan wasn't one of these people, he was a king after all, but the man still made him feel a bit nervous. The feeling was akin to when he was a page and being scrutinized by HIS training master.  
  
He voiced as much, in loud tones, to his red-haired champion. They were in a random conference room in the private company of Thayet, Raoul and Buri. This set a very at easy, comfortable atmosphere neither Jon or Thayet had been able to enjoy for a long time.   
  
Anyway, Alanna didn't like being yelled at. Naturally, she saw nothing wrong with picking up the piece of cream pie she had been feasting on and shoving it in his royal highness' oh-so-dashingly handsome face.  
  
"Is there any more pie left?" Raoul questioned, and grinned broadly when Buri gave him the rest of hers.  
  
Gods, this was de ja vu. Jon couldn't help but miss the days of his youth when he could take part in the bantering and teasing with his friends 24/7. He doubted another day like this would arrive, and was determined to enjoy it.  
  
He still refrained from sticking his tongue out at all of them. He may only be in the company of his friends, but he was still an adult...a grown, mature man with children of his own! That's right. He clenched his hand as itched to return Alanna the favour. No, he would be the bigger person and just leave this alone. By refraining from getting her back, he would be the true winner.  
  
Even if it didn't feel that way when she sat back down and grinned triumphantly at Raoul.  
  
"I can't believe the exams are such a short time away!" Thayed sighed. The pride shining in her eyes were mirrored in Jonothan's. Their son would soon be a Squire.   
  
"I hear you'll be taking a squire, Lady Knight...Joren of Stone mountain, to be exact, "Uri said, sympathy laced in her voice.   
  
Raoul blinked in surprise. Stone Mountains? But they were the most uptight, conservative..  
  
"Why am I being ordered to take him as a Squire, anyway?" Alanan idly wondered. She had received a note from Jon simply ordering her to take the boy as a squire. There was no explanation, nothing.   
  
"He' valuable." Jon stated.  
  
"Valuable, he's but a child?" Buri's mouth twisted into a frown. She didn't like not understanding things.  
  
"He's our Lord Wyldon' Prodigy, I hear" Raoul commented, "But still a Page, none the less."  
  
Jon nodded in agreement," But he's clever, strong and a quick learner. He obeys orders and is in the top of all of his classes and.."  
  
"Bullies other pages," Alanna cut in, "And, like his oh so great family, believes a women's place is at home pregnant and barefoot. He's particularly  
fond of tormenting Keladry, from what I've heard. He sounds to be very cruel."  
  
Thayet smiled wearily, "That, it appears, is his only flaw. Daine, however, appears to believe otherwise. She was the one who requested we order you to be his Knight Master."  
  
Alanna blinked. She certainly expected that to be the reason, "Why?"  
  
"She wouldn't tell us," Thayet sipped the goblet of grape juice she had been holding, "She just requested that we do it. We couldn't refuse her, considering it's such a small request considering all that she's done for us."  
  
"I don't envy you," Raoul bluntly stated, "The Stone Mountains are some of the most pig-headed noble clans ever to have existed. They pound their stuffy ideals into their young before the tykes are walking."  
  
Alanna cackled, "Oh, he'll change his tune before I'm through with him. I promise you that."  
  
Jon sighed wearily. Maybe she was right, but....He'd met the boy several times and had heard about him from Roald. This Joren may be a child, but he still wasn't one to be underestimated.  
  
But why on earth had Daine requested such a thing? Did she even know the boy?  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Joren of Stone Mountain blew out the candle lighting his room and stared blankly out of the window from his bed.   
  
A full moon.  
  
His skin shivered.  
  
They'd always made him feel uneasy, but he couldn't for the life of him understand why.   
  
Oh well, it didn't matter. He shifted into a comfortable position and closed his eyes. Sleep quickly claimed him.   
  
Soft, plump rose petal lips brushed against his eyelids. The owner of the lips gazed down at the beautiful boy, her face expressionless.   
With pale, smooth skin and perfectly proportioned face, she was frighteningly beautiful. She looked 18 or so, but her eyes of all colours were much, much older.   
They matched well with her fine, so-blonde-it-was-nearly-white-hair.. It flowed freely down too her feet, curling slightly in some strands, with flowers of all  
kinds intertwined into it....  
  
"Why do you concern yourself with him?" A musical voice sighed...a twinge of jealousy destroying the nonchalant tune the speaker had been   
going for.   
  
The women ignored her companion and ran her delicate, graceful fingers along Joren's chin.   
  
Her mouth pressed up against the boy's in a chaste, motherly kiss, then her and her companion vanished.  
  
Elsewhere, the Goddess' lips curved into a smile. Things were going to get interesting. 


End file.
